26. Sir N. G RATTAN-DOYLE (for Sir PHILIP RICHARDSON)asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the growing menace from locusts in the East African dependencies; and to what extent assistance is to be given by His Majesty's Government towards the immediate solution of this problem?
§ Dr. SHIELSYes, Sir. This important question has been specially studied by the Locust Control Committee of the Economic Advisory Council and active steps are being taken to co-ordinate work in the countries concerned on its solution. On the recommendation of that Committee in its Third Report (Command Paper 3642) a scheme of investigation into the breeding and migration of the desert locust is being undertaken, towards which the Empire Marketing Board have undertaken to provide £2,720 during the present financial year on a pound for pound basis, in addition to grants totalling £1,020 to cover the cost of collection and dissemination of information on desert locusts by the Imperial Institute of Entomology from 1929 to 1932.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEIs the Under-Secretary aware of the enormous damage done by these pests, and is he satisfied that the steps being taken are sufficient to deal with the matter?
§ Dr. SHIELSYes, we are well aware of the importance of the subject. A conference of experts is being held very shortly, and after that we hope to have co-operative action by all the Governments concerned.